New London beats NFA 9-7 to earn Class L playoff bid

New London players race onto the field to celebrate their win over NFA in Thanksgiving Day football action Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. New London emerged with a 9-7 win in the oldest high school football rivalry in the nation.

Norwich – Freshman Garrett Burdick kicked a 40-yard field goal with 5 minutes, 15 seconds remaining as New London defeated Norwich Free Academy 9-7 in their annual Thanksgiving Day game to qualify for the Class L playoffs.

New London, unofficially, will be the fifth seed and visit No. 4 Middletown in the Class L quarters. New London beat Middletown 23-21 on Nov. 8. The Whalers lost a chance at hosting the quarterfinals when Darien stunned No. 1 New Canaan 28-24 and jumped all the way from fifth to first in the playoff standings.

The field goal came after Khaleed Exum-Strong's 58-yard touchdown run with 2:11 remaining in the third quarter gave NFA a 7-6 lead.

The Whalers had broken a scoreless tie less than two minutes earlier on Orrin Parke's 22-yard TD run. Parke finished with 108 rushing yards for New London.

Unofficially, NFA is also a fifth seed in Class LL and will play at No. 4 Southington in Tuesday's quarterfinals.

New London's Orinn Parke, (21), dives on the loose ball ahead of teammate Greg Newkirk and NFA's Calvin Green in the second half of ECC large division football action Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013. New London emerged with a 9-7 win in the oldest high school football rivalry in the nation.

NFA coach Jemal Davis reacts after his team failed to get off one last play on the goal line before the half against New London in ECC large division football action Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013.

NFA's CJ Jarmon, (5), and New London's Jose Garcia go after the ball after Garcia fumbled the punt in ECC large division football action Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013.

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